To M. K....

Miriam paused with her heavy bag dragging at her arm. It was a disaster. But it was the last of Mornington Road. To explain about it would be to bring Mornington Road here. “It doesn’t matter now,” sa...

“Been to church?” said Gerald digging his shoulders into his chair. “No. Have you?” “We’ve not been for weeks.⁠ ⁠… Everybody thinks us awful heathens.” “P’raps you are.” “It’s Curls. She says she’s ha...

There was a carriage at the door. West-end people, after late nights, managing to keep nine o’clock appointments⁠—in a north wind. Miriam pressed the bell urgently. The scrubbed chalky mosaic and the ...

When she came to herself she was in the Strand. She walked on a little and turned aside to look at a jeweller’s window and consider being in the Strand at night. Most of the shops were still open. The...

Then all these years they might have been going sometimes to those lectures. Pater talking about them⁠—telling about old Rayleigh and old Kelvin as if they were his intimates⁠—flinging out remarks as ...

Miriam sat on a damp wooden seat at the station. Shivering with exhaustion, she looked across at the early morning distance, misty black and faint misty green.⁠ ⁠… Something had happened to it. It was...

Why must I always think of her in this place.⁠ ⁠… It is always worst just along here.⁠ ⁠… Why do I always forget there’s this piece⁠ ⁠… always be hurrying along seeing nothing and then suddenly Teetge...

The morning went on. It seemed as though there was to be no opportunity of telling Mr. Hancock until lunch had changed the feeling of the day. He knew there was something. Turning to select an instrum...

The cycling school was out of sight and done with and Miriam hurried down the Chalk Farm Road. If only she could see an omnibus and be in it going anywhere down away from the north. Miss Szigmondy had...

Miriam swung her legs from the table and brought her tilted chair to the ground. The leads sloped down as she got to her feet and the strip of sky disappeared. The sunlight made a broad strip of gold ...

Everything was ready for the two o’clock patient. There was no excuse for lingering any longer. Half past one. Why did they not come up? On her way to the door she opened the corner cupboard and stood...

Running upstairs to Mr. Hancock’s room a quarter of an hour before his arrival in the morning Miriam found herself wishing that she lived altogether at Wimpole Street. They were all so kind. Life woul...

Miriam found it difficult to believe that the girl was a dental secretary. She swept about among Miss Szigmondy’s guests in a long Liberty dress, her hands holding her long scarf about her person as i...

“It was simply heavenly going off⁠—all standing in the hall in evening dress while the servants blew for hansoms. I wore my bridesmaid’s dress with a piece of tulle arranged round the top of the bodic...

Nearly all the roses were half-opened buds; firm and stiff. Larger ones put in here and there gave the effect of mass. Closest contemplation enhanced the beauty of the whole. Each rose was perfect. Th...

They had walked swiftly and silently along through the bright evening daylight of the Finchley Road. Miriam held her knowledge suspended, looking forward to the enclosure at the end of the few minutes...

The patient sat up with a groan of relief. His dark strong positive liverish profile turned away towards the spittoon. There was a clean broad gap of neck between the strong inturned ending of his hai...

It was a sort of formality. They all three seemed to be waiting for something to begin. They were not at ease. Perhaps they had come to the end of everything they had to say to each other and had only...

It had evidently been a great festival. One of the events of Mr. Hancock’s summer; designed by him for the happiness and enjoyment of his friends and enjoyed by him in labouring to those ends. It was ...

Miriam turned swiftly in her chair and looked up. But Mr. Hancock was already at the door. There was only a glimpse of his unknown figure arrested for a moment with its back to her as he pulled the do...

Today the familiar handwriting brought no relief. This letter must be the final explanation. She opened it, standing by the hall table. “Dear Miss Henderson⁠—you are very persistent.” She folded the l...

… “And at fifty, when a woman is beginning to sit down intelligently to life⁠—behold, it is beginning to be time to take leave.⁠ ⁠…” That woman was an elderly woman of the world; but a dear. She under...

Cool with sound short sleep she rose early, the memory of yesterday giving a Sunday leisure to the usual anxious hurry of breakfast. She was strong with her own possessions. Wimpole Street held nothin...

“There; how d’ye like that, eh? A liberal education in twelve volumes with an index. Read them when ye want to. See?”⁠ ⁠… They looked less set up like that in a row than when they had lain about on th...

The room still had the same radiant air. Nothing looked worn. There was not a spot anywhere. Bowls of flowers stood about. The Coalport tea service was set out on the little black table. The drawn-thr...

There was a strong soft grey light standing at the side of the blind⁠ ⁠… smiling and touching her as it had promised. She leaped to the floor and stood looking at it swaying with sleep. Ships sailing ...

Being really happy or really miserable makes people like you and like being with you. They need not know the cause. Someone will speak now, in a moment.⁠ ⁠… Miriam tried to return to the falling rain,...

“Miss Dear to see you Miss.” “Is there anyone else in the waiting room?” “No miss⁠—nobody.” Miriam went in briskly.⁠ ⁠… “Well? How is the decayed gentlewoman?” she said briskly from the doorway. She h...

Miriam had no choice but to settle herself on the cane-seated chair. When Miss Dear had drawn the four drab coloured curtains into place the small cubicle was in semidarkness. “I hope the next time yo...

“Regular field-day, eh Miss Hens’n? Look here⁠—” Mr. Orly turned towards the light coming in above the front door to exhibit his torn waistcoat and broken watch-chain. “Came for me like a fury. They’v...

It was⁠ ⁠… jolly; to have something one was obliged to do every evening⁠—but it could not go on. Next weekend, the Brooms, that would be an excuse for making a break. She must have other friends she c...

The short figure looked taller in the cassock, funny and hounded, like all curates; pounding about and arranging a place for her and trying to collect his thoughts while he repeated how good it was of...

“What a huge room?” “Isn’t it a big room. Come in young lady.” Miriam crossed to the fireplace through a warm faintly sweet atmosphere. A small fire was smoking and the gas was partly turned down but ...